Iron
by Missjo1988
Summary: Levy thinks about how she met and fell in love with Gajeel.
_Before anyone starts, I want to say that this will have spoilers in it for Fairy Tail. I don't know how far the anime is, but I do not wish to spoil too much for people that are watching the series over reading the manga. I hate ruining anything for anyone else, so if you are watching the English dub or sub of the anime, then I would say not to read if you don't want some details of the story spoiled._

 _Now that that's out of the way, enjoy._

Iron. Every dictionary she had looked through described it as a hard metal that could become steel.

Looking at her own magic and her own life, she believed the metal would have no effect on her life, until she met him.

She knew dragonslayers before. Natsu's actions were enough to go off on. The fire dragonslayer set up an expectation in her mind. How wrong she be after meeting him.

Phantom Lord, the name alone sounded dark and mysterious. Strange for a registered guild. The fact that they were the top guild was even more confusing. The rumors were always on the darker side of things. Greed had invaded the guild. Envy taking over at her own guild's success began to change everything.

That day changed everything, her new best friend. They were after her. A price had been put on her head. They took the opportunity to attack Fairy Tail, they wanted revenge for taking over the number one spot. It was a stupid reason really.

She remembered getting pumped up with her team. They promised to protect Lucy, but they were stopped in their tracks….by him.

That night was a nightmare. Jet, Droy, and herself had just been walking back home. When he appeared from the shadows.

Everything happened so fast, Jet went down first, followed by Droy. He kept her for last.

It was painful. So painful, that she passed out within seconds. Only to awake later in Fairy Tail's hospital wing. She looked down at the brand on her stomach. He had marked her. She cursed him for his actions. She feared him, but she was curious. How did a man become like that?

Soon after Phantom Lord's defeat, she was shocked to find him in their guild hall and even more shocked to discover that he had joined them. Why? Was he that desperate for work? How could the Master allow this?

She coward in fear in his presence. Not wishing to cross his path.

It wasn't until she came across Jet and Droy going after him, that her thoughts began to change. He wasn't fighting back. He was letting them attack him. He wanted to make up for his actions, but he didn't want them to know what he was doing. She still kept away in fear.

A bolt of lightning shot through the fight, Laxus was angry. He wanted to punish him. He didn't put up a fight, just like before. Allowing himself to take a beating.

Suddenly a stray bolt of lightning headed her way. She put her hands out to brace herself for the pain, but it never came. There he was standing in front of her. Shielding her from the bolt.

In that moment, she felt something new for him. He wasn't evil. Her fears were starting to disappear.

Laxus ended up attacking the guild and to her surprise, he was willing to help. He said that he just wanted a good fight, but that wasn't it. He wanted to prove that he could change. That they could trust him.

Even after the battle, he struggled a little to fit in. But she no longer feared him. Instead, she started to notice other things about him. His height, the way he spoke, the fact that he had a goofy side, his odd way of laughing.

Even watching him try to fit in from afar, she could see different sides of his personality. Groaning when he tried to get on stage at the guild or sighing at his sudden need for a cat after Wendy was brought to the guild.

But it wasn't until she was placed as a candidate for S class that she could to see another side to him. When the announcement came, she could hear Jet and Droy fighting over who got to be her partner. Before she knew it, she was lifted in the air. She already knew it was him.

Her cheeks burned, but she didn't understand why. He was just some guy that had pinned her to a tree and was trying to change his ways. There was no reason for her to feel this way.

In the end, she made him her partner. Letting him have his fun. They got to the second round with no problems. Even though he was disappointed at them getting the easiest path.

She got angry with him when he said that he wanted a good fight. He didn't do this to spend time with her. He just wanted to fight against their follow guild members. She smacked him in the face with her purse and left him behind in anger. More than anything, she was embarrassed that she was starting to feel something besides friendship for the man.

Due to not paying attention, she was caught off guard. A dark guild had over taken the island. No one would find her. She couldn't warn the others of the threat. The two men were about to finish her off. She cried out, waiting for the pain once again. But the pain did come and in a flash he was shielding her once again.

She watched as he fought the dark mages, to the point of exhaustion and grew surprised when he told her to run. She did what he asked, hoping that he would survive the fight.

When she returned to the scene after getting some help, he was on the grass and he wasn't alone. The two mages where out cold. She rushed to his side, happy to find that he could let out a snark or two before finally passing out.

That was then that she realized that her feelings towards him had changed. He was no longer the man that stuck her to that tree, nor was he the man that had branded her. That man was gone. Replaced by someone new. Someone brash and stubborn, but funny and maybe even kind at the same time. He was beyond an acquaintance. Her feelings could tell her that what she didn't want was friendship. She wanted him as a man, as a lover. The thought itself made her lightheaded.

She shook her head. Was she really in love with him? Questioning herself, she looked down at his sleeping from. He was still knocked out from the battle. His face looked rather sweet as he slept, even with the multiple piercings he had. Her heartbeat began to pick up as some of his hair rolled over his face. She couldn't deny her feelings for him anymore, but there was no way he felt the same way. He was so focused on becoming stronger and that hobby of his. The most she could ask was to stay by his side.

After the battle with the dark guild and the dragon came, she thought it was the end, but she woke seven years later with no injuries. He did the same.

They all went back to their guild, which was in shambles and decided to train for some magic games. He seemed excited to become stronger, she just wanted to stay by his side.

During the games, she watched him fight. Holding his cat as he fought. Sometimes squeezing Lily a little too hard.

Again the world went to chaos. She thought there was a chance that she wouldn't see him again. The idea frightened her. If she lost him, what would she have?

He pulled through like he always did. Giving her that confident smirk that he always wore. Even showing up to dance with her at the party that was held after the madness. It was the first time she started to notice something else. His interest in her. He may have not realized it yet himself. But he seemed to follow her everywhere.

Even after they returned to the guild, he seemed to stay by her side. Even going as far as to go on jobs with her and her team, much to Jet and Droy's annoyance.

It wasn't long before trouble started again. This time another dark guild. They were called to go to the home of a former council member, but they were too late. She was already dead. He seemed to take her death badly. She wanted to know why, but he wouldn't open up to her.

The fight with Tartarus was long and she couldn't find him for the longest time. When she did find him. He was almost unconscious. They were under water and he needed air fast or he would die. She didn't think, she just acted. She had a little air left. She would give it to him.

As he headed farther into the abyss, she locked her lips with him. Giving him the air he needed. She felt herself start to fall as he came back to life. She felt her body thrash around and opened her eyes to find herself in his arms. He was shielding her again from the oncoming threat. With some of his yelling, she was able to see that she could have just used her magic to give him air. Blushing over her mistake, she left to help their fallen friends, while he finished the fight.

The battle had broken the guild apart. The master telling he was disbanding the guild. Where would she go? Jet and Droy seemed to want her to go with them, but she wasn't sure. After the last couple of battles, she had almost lost him. If she left with her friends, would she see him again?

To her surprise, he found her. Giving her one of his snarky remarks, he asked if she was interested in going with him. He said something about them joining the council.

Did he just say what she thought he did? He wanted her go with him. He wanted her by his side.

"Did you ask anyone else?" She wondered out loud.

His face hung for a second before sighing. "Are you coming or not shrimp?"

She couldn't help but smile at the annoying nickname that he had given her. All she could do was nod and her heart worked itself into a frenzy as he gave her one of confident smirks.

Some may have seen this as the last step for us. But this was only the beginning. The first of many days with the two of us together.

"Gajeel! What are you doing?!" She said frantically as he lifted her over his shoulder.

All he did was chuckle is odd laugh and her panic faded into joy. Yes, this was where she wanted to be. She could never be complete without this wall of iron in her life.


End file.
